Three UMaine Athletics Director Candidates Named

Three finalists have been named for the University of Maine director of athletics position — Karlton Creech of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Jim Herlihy of the University of Montevallo and Scott Kull of Texas Christian University.

The candidates will be on campus for interviews beginning Dec. 15.

Following the interviews, the UMaine search committee, led by Robert Strong, professor of finance and NCAA faculty representative, will provide names of recommended candidates to UMaine President Paul Ferguson with the intention of filling the position early in 2014.

Creech is senior associate director of athletics at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, a position he has held since 2012. From 2004–12, he was associate executive director for UNC’s Educational Foundation Inc., where he was involved in athletics fundraising. He also worked for the Student-Aid Association at North Carolina State, coordinating nationwide fundraising. Creech holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from North Carolina State University and a master’s in management and leadership from Liberty University. He has 18 years of administration experience in intercollegiate athletics.

Kull is associate athletics director for external operations at Texas Christian University, a position he has held since 2005. Before joining TCU, Kull was associate athletics director/general manager of Host Communications Inc., a national collegiate sports marketing company, and director of athletics marketing at Florida State University. Kull, who grew up in Old Town, received a bachelor’s degree in business and organizational communications from Otterbein University in Ohio and a master’s degree in sport management from Ohio State University. He has 21 years of experience in intercollegiate athletics administration.

Herlihy is director of athletics, recreation and intramurals at the University of Montevallo, a position he’s held since 2008. Prior to moving to Alabama, Herlihy was assistant athletic director at Florida Gulf Coast University. He also worked for 12 years in professional baseball, including as director of operations for the Texas Rangers Spring Training Complex and Minor League Business Operations in Florida and as general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies Spring Training facility in Florida. Herlihy, who grew up in Millinocket, has a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from Plymouth State University in New Hampshire and a master’s in sports management from the University of Alabama. He has 25 years of athletics administration experience.

In September, President Ferguson charged the search committee with identifying the best candidate to lead UMaine Athletics to a new level of achievement consistent with the Blue Sky Plan, demonstrating excellence in management of college athletics at the Division I level, including strategic planning, facilities, disciplined budget management, fan development, and personnel management of the coaching and support staffs; excellence in development and fundraising; and strong commitment to a culture of compliance and ethics.

This fall, after three years of service, Steve Abbott announced he would return as chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a position he held from 1997–2009. President Ferguson named Seth Woodcock interim athletics director, effective Nov. 18. Woodcock is UMaine’s associate athletic director for development and a senior development officer.